Grape-stripping machine



June 24, 1930. H. E. PETERSON GRAPE STRIPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5. 1928 firem n New I m mnmummmllllllM ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT FFlQE HENRY E. PETERSON, OF GRAPEVIEV], WASHINGTON GRAPE-S'IRIPPING lvIACHINE Application filed November 5, 1528.

The invention is a device for stripping grapes or the like from bunches which opcrates in conjunction with a grape washer and crusher.

The object of the invention is to provide means for removing grapes from bunches and separate the grapes from the stems.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grape stripping device which does not crush the grapes.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for removing grapes from bunches by feeding the grapes through a gradually diminishing area.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically feeding the bunches of grapes to the said stripping device.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 29 vide' means for washing the grapes before they are fed to the stripping device.

Another object of the invention is to provide. means for crushing the grapes in combination with the said stripping device. 5. Another object of the invention'is to provide a suitable juice container in combination with the said stripping device.

. A- still further object of the invention is to provide a grape washing, stripping and crushing device which automatically operates as a unit.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for washing, stripping and crushing grapes or the like which is of a simple and economical construction.

lVith these ends in view the invention embodies a perforated belt, an inclined bafl'le in gs, wherein Serial No. 317,277.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the device showing the arraugemeiit of the apparatus as it would appear in use.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 22 of Figure 1 showing the relative positions of the perforated belt the inclined ballie and the conveyor belt below the perforated belt.

Figure 3 is an end elevation with the perforated belt removed.

in the drawings the device is shown as it. would be made, wherein numeral 1 indicates the perforated belt, numeral 2 the washer and numeral 3 the crusher.

The perforated belt 1 may be of any suit able material and made in any suitable mannor so that it is adaptable to permit grapes or the like to pass through it individually. In the design shown the belt 1 is mounted upon rollers l andb at the ends and an intermediate roller 6 on the bottom of the juice container 7 that is positioned between the belts and between the end pulleys. It will be observed that the container 7 may be made as large as desired and as many of the idler pulleys 6 may be used as necessary to prevent the belt- 1 engaging the container.

It will be observed that the lower section of the belt 1 will sag considerably so that in all probability it will not engage the idler 6 so that it may not be necessary to use this so idler in some cases. However, in some cases it may be necessary to use the idler and also additional idlers at the lower corners of the container so that it is understood that as many of the idlers (3 may be used as de-; sired and also that the device may be used without idlers.

The pulleys eland 5 are mounted upon shafts 8 and 9 upon a frame 10. These pulleys may be of any suitable width and the diameter may be determined by the space required between the upper and lower belt to handle the grapes dropping through the belt. It is understood that'although the crusher 3 is'shown in this space it may be positioned to one side or omitted altogether and the grapes may be conveyed to one side or to the crusher by any suitable means. The shaft 9 is provided with a pulley 11 which may be driven by a belt from any suitable source of motive power.

At the sides of the belt 1 the frame 10 is provided with side boards 12 and the iiiclined bafile, as indicated by the numeral 13, is mounted between these boards by hinges 14, at the lower end and the upper end rests upon cleats 15, as shown, and it will be adjusted by changing the position of the cleats.

The underside of the ballle is provided with choke bars which will force the grapes from the bunches and thereby assist in stripping them as the grapes are drawn under the battle by the belt. It will be observed that this battle will force the grapes to separate from the bunches and as soon the grapes are separated they will drop through the perforated belt 1. The lower end of the baffle plate 13 is normally positioned close enough to the belt to prevent grapes passing out of the end. The edges of the belt 1 are supported upon cleats 16 and 17 which are attached to the side boards 12. as shown in Figure 2, and another cleat 18 with an inverted V shaped upper edge may be placed in the center to support the center of the belt and thereby hold it close to the battle 13. It will be understood that as many of the cleats 18 may be used as desired or any other suitable means may be used for supporting the belt.

The grapes may be fed to the convcyer belt 1 by hand or from a hopper or by any suitable means. In the design shown they are fed to the stripping device by a conveyer 19 having cleats 20 on its surface and mounted upon pulleys 21 and 22 as shown in Figure l. The pulley :22 extends into the container 2 which may be filled with water or any suitable substance for washing the grapes and the grapes may be placed in this container b any suitable means. It also understood t iat any other means may be used for washing the grapes and they may be fed from the washer to the conveyer 19 or directly to the belt 1 by any other suitable means. In the design shown the pulley 21 is mounted upon a shaft 23 and at one end of the shaft is a pulley 24 that driven by a belt from a pulley 26 on one of the shafts of the crusher, which is indicated by the numeral 27. The shaft 27 is also provided with another pulley, indicated by the numeral 28, and this pulley is driven by a belt 29 from a pulley 3!! on the shaft 9. The shaft 23 may be located at any suitable point from which the bunches of grapes may be fed from the conveyer 19 to the belt 1. In the design shown the ulle 21 is inclosed with a hopper 31 so t at tie grapes may also be fed to the hopper by hand if desired. It will be understood,-however, that the hopper 31 may be omitted or the conveyer 19 may be omitted or the upper end of the conveyer 19 may feed the grapes to the hopper to provide storage between the conveyers; and also that these conveyers and hoppers may be arranged in any other suitable manner. In the design shown the crusher 3, which is formed by the rollers 32 and 33 on the shafts 27 and 34, is positioned below the belt 1 and between the pulleys 4 and 5. A batlle plate 35 may be used to feed grapes from one end to the crusher and the conveyer 36 may be used to feed the grapes from the opposite end. The conveyor 36 is formed by a belt of any suitable design upon rollers 37 and 38 and the roller 38 is mounted upon a shaft 39, the outer end of which is provided with a sprocket 40 so that it may be driven b a chain 41 from a sprocket 42 on the erusier shaft 34. The crusher shaft 34 is driven by spur gears 43 from the shaft 27. It will be understood that this crusher may be provided with rollers of any suitable type or design and may be arranged and operated in any suitable manner. The product from the crusher may also be conveyed to any suitable point by any suitable means. However, in the design shown a container 7 is provided below the crusher so that the product will drop directly into the container and the bottom of the container is provided with a spout 44 which is connected by a swivel joint 45 so that when it is in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 it will be closed and when it is lowered to the position shown in dotted lines it will be open and it will be observed that by arranging the spout in this manner it will be possible to positively drain the bottom of the container. It will be understood, however, that the container may be provided with a spout of any other design and any other suitable means may be used for opening or closing the spout. The idler 6 may be attached to the lower end of the container by clips 46 as shown or by any other suitable means. A continuous bathe, as indieated b the numeral 47, may be provided under tie upper belt of the conveyer 36 to support the belt as shown.

A hopper 18 may be provided below the tail pulley 5, to catch the stems, and a drip pan 49 may be placed under the lower or return belt to catch juice or stems dripping from the belt. This hopper and pan may be arranged in any suitable manner.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit. of the invention, one of which changes may be in the design or general arrangement of any oi the parts, another may be in the use of a washer or a crusher of any other type or design in combination with the stripping device, and still another may be in the use of other means for feeding the material to the stripper and for conveying it from the. stripper.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoin description. To use the device the bunches of grapes may be placed in the Washer 2 by any suitable means and as the conveyor 19 operates it will carry the bunches to the perforated belt and will feed them upon the belt and it will be observed that as the belt 1 moves toward the inclined bafi'le 13 the bunches will roll and the individual grapes will be forced from their stems and as the individual grapes are separated they will drop through the openings of the belt 1. The stems will then pass over the end of the convcyer and drop oil as the belt returns on the lower side. The grapes dropping through the belt 1 will be led to the crusher rollers 3 and as they are crushed the juice and pulp will drop into the container 7 and it will be observed that this substance may be drawn from the container through the spout elahereinbefore de scribed.

Having thus fully described the invention, What ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a conveyer having perforated belt, an inclined battle plate above the said conveyer belt and means for feeding bunches o1" grapes to the said belt, said battle plate being positioned to force the individual grapes from the bunches and through the perforations in the belt.

2. A grape stripping device comprising a perforated belt an inclined battle plate cooperating with the belt, and means for mov ing the belt in relation to the said battle plate substantially as described.

8. A grape stripping device con'iprising a conveyor having a perforated belt positioned to reee' e bunches of grapes or the like, and an inclined bafile plate positioned to cooper ate with the said conveyer belt to force the grapes from the bunches and through the perforations of the belt.

41. A fruit stripping devicecomprising a perforated conveyer belt, means for mounting and operating the said belt, and an inclined battle plate adaptable to cooperate with the said belt gradually force objects placed noon the said belt aszainst the said 1 1. 1 r j belt and thrown the said iertorations a thereot.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY E. PETEPSON. 

